Over the past year or so, the Euro has gone from being a symbol of European prosperity to an endangered species. While its chances of recovery in some form seem good in the long term, our current situation has emphasized the need to constantly spread risk. Many European companies have been happy to trade with local countries and support the technologies found there. However, the current “Eurocrisis” has shown that companies also need to be looking for other markets and technologies to offset the problems at home.
China is one of the obvious choices. With annual economic growth figures around 10% for most of the recent past, it offers more opportunity than almost anywhere else in the world. To help European companies exploit this, the CLPA created the “Gateway to China” (G2C) programme.
Of course, while China is the obvious choice, some other overseas markets offer similar potential. The so called “BRIC” countries (Brazil, Russia, India as well as China) are now widely viewed to be the most promising global economies. The CLPA has not ignored the potential here. We are about to open an office in India to support our partners there, and we are also active throughout North and South America.
All of these countries have huge populations and are rapidly developing their industrial bases. It is inevitable that they will look to state of the art automation technologies to achieve the volumes of production they require to support their people and to function as a credible player in global markets. Equally they are looking to develop automated office buildings and apartment blocks, transport and logistical networks, water and sewage, food production and processing.
The BRIC countries are rich in opportunities, and so will their neighbours be in a few years time. This is inevitable. Countries do not develop in isolation; economic development is a regional phenomenon -although there are leaders and followers, trailblazers and late adopters.
Of course entering a new export market is a daunting prospect and not to be taken lightly. So a good plan is to look for support, from government, trade associations and other bodies. The CLPA has developed and proved a blueprint for this with its Gateway to China programme, which offers specific development and marketing benefits for the Chinese market.
Control and automation companies have thought of their market as global for many years. In reality, this has meant the USA, Europe and Japan, plus a few minor markets. Now we are on the cusp of the world getting a whole lot bigger.
For more information on the G2C programme, contact us at g2c@clpa-europe.com
